Transit riders will no longer have to worry about vanishing bus benches as the City Council approved a 10-year contract Friday with a new firm that plans to replace all 5,000 of the fixtures.

Following a lengthy debate, the council voted 11-1 in favor of a contract with Martin Outdoor Media, which promised to pay the city at least $2.7 million of its advertising revenue over the next decade.

“What is most important is to make sure these benches fit in with the community plans and we make sure there are benches in the most transit-dependent corridors of our city,” Councilman Bill Rosendahl said. “We know there needs to be significant amounts of advertising, but it needs to fit in with the community.”

Martin replaces Canoga Park-based Norman Bench Advertising, which had started removing benches from bus stops in what was seen as a protest of the city’s failure to renew a contract that had expired in January 2010.

City officials said they didn’t want to renew the contract because the company was difficult to work with and refused to share information about the amount of ad revenue generated from the benches.

After meetings with city officials over the past two days, Norman officials agreed to work on the transition, with the promise of negotiating with Martin media over temporary revenue sharing.

Councilman Mitch Englander voted against the contract, saying it needed further study.

Englander had brought in a motion that would have waived any back fees due from Norman, but the council sent that to committee for further study.

Moving headquarters

Martin President Glenn Flutie said his company is prepared to immediately replace benches that Norman had removed and hopes to have new benches in place over the next month. The company also plans to install 3,000 new trash cans.

In addition, Flutie plans to relocate the company’s headquarters from Florida to Los Angeles.

“We will be a Los Angeles company with a branch in Florida,” Flutie said.

As part of the agreement, advertising on the benches and any trash cans installed will be banned in certain areas, including those in the Ventura Boulevard Specific Plan area, coastal areas and the areas within the Santa Monica Mountains Conservation District.

Other community plan restrictions around the city also will be protected.

Political advertising and ads for alcohol, tobacco and medical marijuana also will be prohibited.

Englander said he believed the city moved too quickly on the contract, even though the previous contract ended more than 18 months ago.

“We are all concerned about making sure the people of Los Angeles have a place to sit when they are waiting for a bus,” Englander said. “I want to make sure we have a good contract. I think we need to take more time to assure protections are in place.”

However, the council said it wanted to resolve the issue.

Public Works Commission President Andrea Alarcon, who undertook a review of the contract shortly after she was appointed to the panel in late 2009, said she had become concerned when Norman failed to provide documentation on its revenue from the benches.

Task force formed

As a result, she formed a task force to review the contracts under her jurisdiction to make sure they are being followed.

And, as president of the commission, she has asked the four other commissioners to take similar steps.

Councilman Dennis Zine was angered at the length of time it has taken to deal with the issue and trying to force Norman to comply.

“I have some real serious issues with the Department of Public Works, which has been negligent in overseeing these contracts,” Zine said. “We need a review to see how many other contracts are not being followed. I find it outrageous we do not know how much the city is owed.”

Commissioner Alarcon said she agreed with Zine and the reviews she has asked for should help give the city a better idea on outstanding money the city is owed.

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